Tray for electric brush



Oct. 11, 1960 H. o. RENCH ETAL TRAY FOR ELECTRIC BRUSH Filed May 7, 1958INVENTORS HARRY D.RENCH HERBERT W. HARRIS ATTORNEYS United .StatesPatent Ofiice 2,955,303 Patented Oct. 11, 1960 2,955,303 TRAY FORELECTRIC BRUSH Harry D. Rench and Herbert W. Harris, Racine, Wis.,assignors to Racine Industrial Plant, Inc., Racine, Wis., a corporationof Wisconsin Filed May 7, 1958, Ser. No. 733,566

Claims. (Cl. -49) This invention appertains to portable dry cleaningscrubbing machines of the type shown and claimed in the Patent No.2,842,788 issued July 15, 1958, and more particularly to an attachmentfor the protecting and supporting of such machines, when such machinesare not 1n use.

Carpet scrubbing machines of the type mentioned include a frame havingspaced parallel motor driven shafts or spindles on which are detachablymounted the scrubbing brushes, and the machine is supported solely onthe carpet by the brushes. Likewise, the machine during storing,transporting and shipping rests on the brushes. The brushes, whenresting for a considerable length of time on a surface, are liable totake an undesirable set,

and during shipping and carrying the spindles or shafts and associatedparts are subjected to injury from shocks, vibrations, etc. transmittedthereto from the brushes. Also during the carrying of the machine fromone place to another, after Ia cleaning operation, cleaning powder, dirtetc. is liable to drop from the brushes which causes undesirable debrisIt is therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention toprovide a tray'for detachable association with the scrubbing machine formovement therewithfor housing the brushes and for forming an effectivebase or support for the scrubbing machine when the same is not in usewith the brushes spaced from the tray, where-' by the tray will receiveand hold debris falling from the brushes and whereby the tray will forman effective guard to prevent the transmission of shocks from outsidesources to the brushes and associate parts.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of novelmeans for constructing the tray, whereby the same will be possessed ofsome resiliency and flexibility and whereby a central support will behad for direct detachable connection with the frame of the machine, sothat the brushes will be out of contact with the tray at all times, thetray being of such a construction and shape as to fit within a packingcarton with the machine and thus protect the machine against injuryduring shipping.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which drawing,

Figure l is a perspective view of a dry cleaning carpet scrubbingmachine with the improved tray associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view taken on theline 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows through thelower portion of the machine with the tray attached thereto, parts ofthe scrubbing brushes being shown broken away to illustrate trayconstruction;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken onthe line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrowsillustrating a means for detachably connecting the tray with thescrubbing machine; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tray removed from the machine.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter Sindicates the scrubbing machine and T the novel guard and tray for themachine. I

The machine S has been thoroughly described and illustrated in thementioned patent, but from the present drawings, it can be seen that themachine includes a frame 5 supporting an electric motor 6 for driving apair of spaced parallel shafts 7 and 8 in opposite directions and.toward one another. The spaced shafts 7 and 8 detachably receive thescrubbing brushes 9 and 10. 'The 'upper portions of the brushes 9 and 10are protected by a hood 11 carried by the frame. Secured to the centralportion of the hood'll between the brushes 9 and 10, are dependingU-shaped leaf springs 12 which form means for connecting the tray T withthe machine, as will later appear.

The tray T is preferably formed from thermoplastic material or,thermosetting material, and is preferably formed into shape by thevacuum mold process. As illustrated, the tray T includes a bottom wall13, spaced side walls 14 and connecting end walls 15. The upper edges ofthe side and end walls 14 and 15 have formed thereon outwardly extendingmargin-a1 flanges 16 which add rigidity to the tray. The flanges alsoform means for supporting certain parts of the scrubbing machine S. Theflanges 16 on theside walls 14 are for-med to provide spaced upstandingshoulders 17 and the shoulders and the flanges between the shouldersform seats for receiving the sideportions of the frame 5 of thescrubbing machine. These seats prevent accidental movement of themachine in the tray when the tray is associated with the machine. Thebottom wall 13 of the tray has formed thereon upstanding strengtheningribs 18. These ribs extend generally from a central raised portion 19 onthe bottom of the tray to the side and end walls.

The central raised portion 19 rigidly carries a transversely extendingsupporting block 20. The block 20 terminates short of the side walls 14of the tray. The upper edge of the block is cut away at its centralportion as at 21, to receive the base portions of the U-shaped springs12 and the fastening means for such springs. The opposite sides of theblock 20 adjacent to its upper end are provided with grooves 22 forreceiving the flared terminals of the springs 12'.

In associating the tray T with the machine S, the block 20 is insertedin the base of the machine between the brushes 9 and 10 until thesprings 12 snap into the grooves 22. At this time, the sides of the baseof the machine will engage and rest on the side wall flanges 16. As bestshown in Figure 2, the weight of the machine rests on the block 20 andon the side wall flanges 16. The brushes 9 and 10 are supported in araised position above the bottom wall 13 of the tray. Thus the brushesdo not rest on the tray and the brushes do not support the weight of themachine. It can be seen that with the tray associated with the machine,the same actually becomes a component part of the machine and is carriedor transported with the machine and forms a stable base for supportingthe machine when the machine is not in use.

The tray actually performs the following functions:

(1) To protect the brushes 9 and 10 by supporting the weight of themachine, when the machine is not in use. If the machine is stored withthe weight thereof on the brushes, the bristles are bent over and willbecome-set in this bent condition. Thus, be formed on the brushesresulting in bumpy operation of the machine. The tray eliminates this.

(2) The tray itself becomes a part of a shipping case when the machineis packed for shipment andfihetray will absorb shocks incident to therough handling .of -the machine and carton. r 1 a (3) The tray serves asa smooth base onwhich the machine can be slid, when the machine ispu'tinto and taken out of automobiles, trucks etc.

(4) The tray collects any loose powder or dirt that may become dislodgedfrom the brushes while the machine is being carried or stored.

Various changes in details may be made without departing from the spiritor the scope of this invention, but what is claimed as new is: v

1. In combination with a machine for the dry cleaning of carpets, rugsetc. of the type embodying aframe and a pair of motor driven brushes onwhich the machine rests when in use, a detachable tray and base for themachine when the machine is not in use including a body for receivingand housing the brushes having a lower wall and upstanding end andsidewalls, means associated with said frame and tray for guiding andaligning the machine into the tray before the machine actually rests onthe tray and for securing the tray to the machine whereby the machineand tray can be transported as a unit, and means for supporting theframe of the machine on the tray with the brushes in a raised positionabove the bottom wall and spaced from all parts of the tray.

2. In combination with a portable machine for the dry cleaning ofcarpets and the like of the type including a frame and a pair of spacedmotor driven brushes carried by one side of the frame, a tray andsupporting base for the machine when the same is not in use including abody having a bottom'wall, upstanding side and end walls, and outwardlyprojecting flanges on the side walls having central depressed portionsforming seats for receiving the opposite sides of the frame with thebrushes spaced from the bottom wall, and a supporting block secured tothe central portion of the tray and extending a flat spot will betweensaid brushes and engaging a central portion of the frame of the machine,the block being located between said flanges.

3. In combination with a portable machine for the dry cleaning ofcarpets and the like of the type including a frame and a pair of spacedmotor driven brushes carried by one side of the frarne, a tray andsupporting base for the machine when the same is not in use including abody having a bottom wall, upstanding side and end walls, and outwardlyprojecting fianges on t he side walls having central depressed portionsforming seats for receiving the opposite sides of the frame with thebrushes spaced from the bottom wall, a supporting block secured to thecentral portion of the tray and extending between said brushes andengaging a central portion of the frame of the machine, the block beinglocated between said flanges, and interlocking means between the frameand the block for detachably connecting the tray with the machine.

4. A protecting and supporting base for carpet cleaning machines of thetype embodying a frame and rotary brushes comprising a body including abottom wall, upstanding side and end walls, outwardly projecting flangesformed on the side walls defining seats for receiving the opposite sidesof the frame of the machine and a central block disposed between saidflanges and carried by the bottom wall for engaging an intermediateportion of the machine and means for detachably connecting the blockwith the machine.

5. A tray and supporting base for a cleaning machine including a frameand motor driven brushes as defined in claim 4 and said bottom wallbeing provided with struck up ribs and a central raised portion, certainof said ribs extending outwardly from the raised portion to the walls,and said raised portion receiving and supporting the block.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 614,454France Sept. 18, 1926 653,116 Germany Nov. 16, 1937 903,329 France Jan.10, 1945

